Lonely at the Top
by Leon L. Lawliet
Summary: Because sometimes the star wants to be in the middle of the tree.


**A/N: I'm a day late, my apologies.**

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Across the city, Christmas was out in force. Stores glowed ten times brighter and bustled with triple the usual noise and traffic. Every tree the city could find had been illuminated nearly to the point that the tree was no longer visible. The parks were crowded with the traditional vendors and people enjoying the weather, their company, or both. In the middle stood the largest tree of all, easily two stories high and draped in decorations of all sorts, complete with an oversized star on top. All around, hidden speakers played the year's latest holiday tunes.

The vocalist of those tunes stood alone near the tree, gazing silently. Her long blue hair had been tucked inside her like-colored jacket in an effort to account for the scarf she'd forgotten. She also wore a wool cap, a pair of glasses, and long black pants and boots, but these were mostly to avoid notice.

"Miku?"

A warm, soothing voice, from someone she knew would find her anyway.

"Hello, Ia," she answered, turning to face her visitor. The other girl wore an off-white peacoat to match her loose hair, a pink skirt, and black leggings and boots. She carried a pink umbrella, which promptly covered both of them.

"Oh for- you're covered in snow..." Ia started, brushing as much off of her companion as she could. "How long have you been out here?"

"Not that long."

"An inch and a half doesn't pile up in 'not that long'." She sighed. "Making Christmas wishes or something?"

Miku grinned sheepishly. "Well, yeah, actually."

Ia smiled in turn. "And whatever were you wishing for?"

"Eh...it's not important."

She put on a fake pout. "Still want to know."

Miku frowned for a moment. "...You sure?"

"Absolutely."

"...Promise not to laugh?"

Ia raised her right hand. "Promise."

The blue-haired girl exhaled, contemplating the visual effect. "I... Um..." She fumbled over the start a few times, then bowed her head. "I guess I don't really know how to say it. I mean, I look like the last person on earth who'd need to wish for anything, but..."

Ia frowned. She wanted to say something, to show concern, but drew blank. The sincerity knocked her off guard. In a moment, Miku spoke again.

"It's...kind of ironic, isn't it? That I can be a part of bringing people together through the music, and yet, I feel alone for some reason. I have great friends, great coworkers, but it's something else." She sighed heavily and turned her attention back to the tree. "I guess I'm just no good at hiding emotions, huh? It lets me sing as well as I could ever want to, but...I wonder sometimes, if I disappeared, would people remember me or just an idol who did an exceptional job?"

She blinked a few times, then turned back to Ia, who had taken to staring at her boots. "Ah, I'm sorry, it's Christmas and I'm just talking your ear off with sad things, and-"

"There is-" The interruption stopped as abruptly as it started.

Miku raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

Ia coughed slightly. "There is...someone who would remember Miku for who she is. Someone who looks at her and doesn't see a fashion idol or a musical sensation, but just an emotional girl who loves to sing. Someone who thinks that what she defines as her flaws are precisely what makes her so endearing. Someone..." She paused. "Someone who cares deeply for her, whether she knows it or not, regardless of what she has or hasn't done." She looked up at her companion, bright pink. "There has to be, because it's impossible to think otherwise."

Miku stared at the girl for a few second before letting loose a fit of giggles.

"What?"

"You," she answered. She leaned in and gently pressed her lips to Ia's, freezing her in place for a few moments.

"What was-" She struggled to find her voice again and failed, eliciting more laughter.

"Dear Ia," Miku chuckled, "you are so very earnest you can't even make a partial lie."

"That's be-" Ia started and stopped, composing herself. "That's because it's not."

"Good," Miku chimed. " I'd hate to fall in love with someone who didn't love me back."

Ia's face blanked. "Huh?"

"You weren't the only one watching, you know." The blue-haired girl reached up to remove her glasses. "I've dealt with many beautiful people and beautiful voices...but none like you. You're definitively better than I at controlling yourself, but there's a part of you in everything you do. It's mesmerizing, in a way." She turned to meet Ia eye-to-eye. "And the more I observed, the more I realized it wasn't someone who put on a brilliant act, but someone who was herself brilliant. Somewhere along the line, I guess..." She flushed. "I kind of fell in love with you."

Ia dropped her umbrella -or rather,tossed it aside - and hugged Miku as hard as she could. "I'm sorry I- but- why didn't you tell me earlier?"

The idol scratched her cheek. "I'm just like any other normal girl, I got scared."

Ia laughed into her shoulder. "Miku, if there was anything normal about either of us, we wouldn't be here." She pulled back and rubbed the back of her head absently. "And I wouldn't be making third-person confessions."

Miku frowned. "But didn't you just say-"

"I did, but." She paused to place her own hand on Miku's cheek. "You can ask for someone to see you as a normal person, but to someone that loves you, everything about you is extraordinary. Someone like me."

Somewhere across the city, a clock tower rang loudly and deliberately twelve times. Both girls looked up for a moment, then back at each other.

"Merry Christmas, Ia."

"Same to you. And here," she said, rummaging through her coat and producing a familiar-looking article. "I found your scarf." She looped it around Miku's neck, then used it to pull her into a quick smooch before tying it.

"Thank you," Miku grinned, "but I'm afraid I don't have anything in return."

Ia smiled back. "Oh, but I already got more than I wished for." She thought for a moment. "How about...a duet?"

"Done," Miku answered, sealing the deal with another kiss.

"Oh, I got it. That phrase you wanted..."

"Hm?"

"I think it was 'lonely at the top'."

Miku beamed. "Not anymore."


End file.
